Christmas Eve
by nicodiver
Summary: "It was the evening of Christmas eve. The assassin was on his way to the well known Christmas festival in Roma."    Ezio/Leonardo


It was the evening of Christmas eve. The assassin were on his way to the well known Christmas festival in Roma. The citizens of Roma had talked a lot about it, they said that it was going to be the biggest event of the year and that it always had fireworks at the end of the night of Christmas. Also it always contained a dance that was called waltz. Ezio had known about this dance for a long time, apparently it was the Auditore family's specialty, Ezio knew how to dance waltz for sure.

The assassin strode slowly through the open gate of the festival.

Crowds of people were standing around on the floor in the ballroom, chatting about things Ezio never would experience as he was an assassin, his duty were too much of a weight.

The assassin shrugged and looked around in the room. Chandeliers were lit, giving the ballroom a soft golden glow. Ezio enjoyed the atmosphere, he hadn't felt this calm since before he became one of the assassins. Everything were at pace, the dancing folk, the chatting people, the beautiful melodies that echoed through the room. The assassin felt an inner peace, and he thought that not all assassin may have felt it, because it's hard to feel peace when you are the guilty one for murder.

Ezio leaned against the wall, sipping the last of the wine from his glass, calmly resting his eyes on a familiar blonde man. He couldn't quite put a finger who it was, there had been some years since they last had met. Names and words started to form in Ezio's head. Leo.. Leon.. Leona.. Leonard? Why couldn't he remember the man's name? He was sure they had been friends for a long time and that they were very fond to each other. A sudden light bulb pinged over Ezio's head. Leonardo. The artist. The inventor. The man that had made his hidden blades and the man that invented so many things but not finishing them all, excusing he had too many ideas. A smile lit up in his face and he began to make his way through the many crowds. He put his hand on the artist's shoulder. "Leonardo.." he said, tasting the name of the blonde man, the artist whipped around, eyes wide.

Ezio saw a short confusing in his eyes, then they suddenly lit up.  
"Ezio, is.. Is that really you?" he asked and a smile came to the artist face, making his eyes glow with happiness. Ezio nodded and stretched out his arms, wanting he other man to embrace him. Leonardo did so and after the embrace, he took a step backwards.

"What are you doing here Ezio? I thought you were leaving with the Assassin's and not coming back to Italy?" Leonardo asked, looking a little sad.

"We were not intending to leave Italy, at all. And why am I here? I'm here to enjoy the moment of peace, and of course, celebrate Christmas." Ezio chuckled and looked over at the dancing peoples. Leonardo nodded and smiled. "And, why, my friend, are you here?" Ezio asked, putting away his glass on a table.

"I'm here because I wanted to paint of the dancers. Drawing off dancing humans is a great way to improve your capability to draw human anatomy." Leonardo answered, showing his rough sketches to Ezio. For Leonardo they made seem rough, but for Ezio they were magical. They were perfect, not a single stroke from the pencil was wrong.

"They are beautiful Leonardo, you really are a talented artist." Ezio exclaimed and smiled to the elder man.  
"Thank you my friend, I wish I just had the time to finish every single painting I have begun with, but of course, I don't have any time to do so." Leonardo chuckled and sighed of delight. He had too many ideas.

"Nah, it's not that you don't have time, you just have too many ideas." Ezio chortled and friendly patted Leonardo's back.

Leonardo waved with his hand. "Blame me for everything." Leonardo joked and shrugged his shoulders.

"What are you thinking of Roma?" Ezio asked as they were walking out from the ballroom for a while, wanting to breathe fresh air. They stopped at a beautiful decorated balcony, with red roses climbing over the whole balcony, leaning on the edge, gazing over Roma.

"I think it's a beautiful city, with it's architecture of course and beautiful landscapes. Of course, it's not as beautiful as Venezia, but it works fine for the moment." Leonardo uttered and took a deep breath of the scent of roses.

Ezio nodded as an answer and smiled. "Roma is especially beautiful at night. Every night, I'm sitting on the top of Castello Sant'Angelo, just to watch the glorious scenery." he whispered and a nostalgic smile came to his face. He remembered the nights he and Federico spent together, watching over Firenze.

"The world really is beautiful..." Leonardo exclaimed dreamily, not aware that Ezio slowly curled his hand around Leonardo's.

"Yes.. It's.." Ezio whispered and looked at their hands. They were perfectly fit, as they were made to be together.

Leonardo woke up from his dreamily thoughts about the nature and landscapes that he wanted to paint when he felt the Assassins warm hand curled around his.

He didn't say anything, he just wanted to memorize the moment.

Some minutes went by, the two men were standing silent, watching the twinkling lights of Roma, and the silver light from the moon.

"We should go back in, the waltz is starting soon." Ezio said and without even asking Leonardo, he took him in side the ballroom again.

"You want to dance with me, Leonardo?" Ezio asked softly, holding his hand out for the artist to take it.

Leonardo blushed a bit. "Shouldn't you ask a lady first? I mean, I'm a man and you are a man.. Maybe they will kick us out?" he murmured, his face going redder.

"No, I don't think they'll do... Please, dance with me." Ezio begged and looked at the man with his softest gaze.

Leonardo chuckled nervously, but curled his hand around Ezios and let Ezio drag him to his body. Ezio slowly put his hand left hand on Leonardo's waist and waited for the artist to take his right hand.

"Why am I the female role?" Leonardo wondered as he put his hand on Ezio's shoulder.

"Because I'm taller than you.." Ezio whispered and chuckled gently.

"Not me minding." Leonardo smiled and let Ezio guide his way in to the dance. Ezio back-stepped and turned. "One-two-three, one-two-three turn.." Ezio whispered in Leonardo's ear, warming the artist with his breath. Leonardo giggled a little and accidentally stepped on Ezio's foot. "Sorry, I'm not very good at dancing.." he murmured, embarrassed.

"It is ok, _amico mio_, I will guide you... One-two-three, one-two-three turn, one-two-three back, one-two-three forward again.." Ezio whispered, his hand went from Leonardo's waist, up on the back, pulling him closer so their chests touched. Leonardo rubbed his fingers on Ezio's fingers, observed that he had "piano" fingers, long and small. Extremely soft.

The music slowed down, and stopped. The two men separated from each other, both were blushing a bit, but they had really enjoyed the close moment together.

They slowly walked outside to the balcony again, now sitting down on a bench decorated with more roses.

"Thank you for dancing with me Leonardo.." Ezio thanked him, curled his hand around Leonardo's again. Leonardo's cheeks went redder, he bit his underlip and turned his blue eyes to Ezio's dark brown.

"No problem at all, _amico mio,_ it was the most wonderful dance I have ever danced and I have never danced with a man before.." Leonardo said and another smile lit up his freckled face.

"Everything to make you happy.." Ezio smiled and looked up to the sky. Small, glistering snowflakes were falling slowly from the sky. "It's snowing.." Ezio murmured, astonished by the beauty of frozen water drops. He had not seen snow since he was a little child.

"How beautiful..." Leonardo said, dreamily again. "Perfect for the Christmas eve, and of course, the festival..." Leonardo murmured, pulling Ezio's hand a little harder.

"Yes. If there is someone up there, he timed this snowfall great." Ezio chuckled and leaned backwards a little on the bench, Leonardo doing the same. Ezio lifted his arm and put it around Leonardo's back, pulling him closer. Leonardo leaned his head on Ezio's shoulder, still looking up at the sky, and the glittering falling snow.

The famous fireworks started popping in sky, the sight was as falling stars but much bigger and full with colors.

"_Buon Natale, _Leonardo.." Ezio whispered and turned his face to the other man's face.  
"_Buon Natale, _Ezio.." Leonardo smiled and put his arms around Ezio's body.

Ezio put his lips against Leonardo and kissed him softly.

As the two men were kissing each other under the falling snow and exploding colors of fireworks, they knew that they belonged to each other, as the sun and the moon, as the night and the day, as the dark and the light...

Nothing could ever change that.


End file.
